Well, after a year of driving my 2001 Merc E-430, I'm ready to replace the entire sound system. I'm actually going to be putting in a CarPC from *XenarcDirect* (http://www.xenarcdirect.com/product.php?productid=16184&cat=0&page=1&featured), and use that as my source for music. Files will all be in flac. PC will be in the trunk and connected to an Alpine PXA-H701 DSP Processor via TosLink optical cable.

No head unit will be installed.

Been reading a few things and have read many people throw out names such as Clarion, Boston Acoustics, JL-Audio, and CDT. I listen mostly to two genres: Trance and 80's British Alternative Rock/Pop. Some examples include:

Duran Duran
Depeche Mode
New Order
The Smiths
The Cure
Simple Minds
Tears For Fears
U2
INXS
Pet Shop Boys
the The

These are some of my favorite bands and pretty much stay in my playlist rotation.

All that being said, I want speakers I can turn up loud without distortion and remain pretty darn clear with the mids and highs.

Which brand do you guys suggest? :)

3.5Max6spd

04-05-2007, 09:51 AM

Some nice German speakers...maybe? Take a look at Rainbow.

www.rainbow-audio.de/

JB16

04-05-2007, 05:36 PM

What are you looking to spend on the front stage? Depending on that you might wanna go active or passive, if you go passive you will want to get components. I am not a total expert on active. The sticky on the top could fill you in.

CDT have awesome speakers and can be at high volumes without distorting and still sound very very clear. I hear rainbow makes great speakers also. Also, the alpine SPX's might be up your ally.

isamu

04-05-2007, 08:05 PM

Thanks for the reply. I apologize for not stating my budget. I'm going to need two tweeters, four 6x9's(two in front/two in back), and two small 6x9 subs just to gimmie that extra little "oomph". My budget for all eight of these speakers is $700-$1000. Budget for amp is around $300-$400 tops. Overall, including shop installation labor, I don't don't wanna spend over $2000(again, there will be no H/U).

I'm right in Downtown Los Angeles and looking for an exceptional shop in LA/Orange County/Ventura-Burbank. A place that knows their way around a Mercedes.

isamu

04-06-2007, 09:49 PM

There are quite a few places in Los Angeles.

Really? Like where?

Hintzyboy

04-07-2007, 12:53 AM

Here's what you do.

Only run one pair of 6x9s in the rear. None in the front, no 6x9 subs.

$1400 total. Add an extra $30 or so for some MDF to build a box. Install it yourself to save cash. If rear fill isn't necessary, dropping it and getting a different amp would take another ~$200 off the price.

MiniVanMan

04-08-2007, 01:43 AM

It would be a shame to not use the full processing power of the H701 by using a passively ran component set.

With the processing power you have, you should be looking at going into an active setup. However, once you step into that arena there is a pretty big learning curve, and A LOT of options.

They're $170.00 each, but very, very nice. That's about $600.00 for speakers and much, much better for the money than anything else pre-packaged.

You can find some reviews, and more information at www.diymobileaudio.com

Oops, didn't see the part about the H701. Def. should go active.

isamu

04-09-2007, 12:31 PM

The thing is, I haven't the foggiest idea what Active is. Can you fill me in?

Hintzyboy

04-09-2007, 12:49 PM

Sure. In a passive system (basically your average component set) the passive cross-over uses permanent crossover points that are determined by the manufacturer to separate frequencies between drivers. In an active setup, an active crossover network is used (in your case, the Alpine H701). An active crossover allows you to pick your crossover points rather than the manufacturer choosing the points for you. Not only does this allow you to pick what is best for your specific install, it also allows you to mix and match drivers. This means that you can pick whatever mids you want and then go with a tweeter that fits them or vice versa. You have more control over your system and can change settings whenever you want. You also can switch out your mids or tweeters at any time, rather than having to replace the whole setup.

A properly installed active setup will generally perform better than a passive setup. However, this is not guaranteed. An active setup is also much more complicated than a passive setup and can be more expensive depending on the equipment you select (You have to have a separate amplification channel for each speaker, and a 4-channel amp will cost more than a 2-channel. You also need an active crossover, but that's taken care of with your H701. However, the price of DIY drivers can offset the increased cost of bigger amplifiers and more sophisticated crossovers).

This isn't a very good explanation really. Check out the sticky thread at the top of the section. It contains some great info.